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Recent Articles from Scott Forsyth
ACLU correct to defend alt-right’s right to protest in Charlottesville
The death of Heather Meyer by car in Charlottesville two weeks ago was a horrible tragedy. We know the driver of the car participated in an alt-right march the night before and the Unite the Right rally in Emancipation Park the day of her death. The organizers of the rally had to obtain a court […]
Recent victories for women in the abortion fight
Three weeks ago I was hiking in North Cascades National Park, near Mt. Baker, which is stunning country. The park is located partly in Skagit County. You see the area’s name throughout the valleys and flat lands, all of the way to the ocean. Two days after I returned, I learned that the ACLU […]
Public nuisance laws remain unconstitutional
Four years ago I wrote a column titled “Public nuisance laws are an unconstitutional nuisance.” It described the plight of Lakisha Briggs, a poor, single mother living in an apartment in Norristown, a suburb of Philadelphia. Her boyfriend physically abused her at least eight times. Briggs complained to the police, with limited success. What did […]
Scott Forsyth: Displaying the text of the Ten Commandments on public property endorses religion
We live in a divided society. One of the fault lines is religion. Always has been and maybe always will be. For every step across the line, there seems to be one, and sometimes two, steps back. Take, for example, the actions of Jason Rapert. He is a senator in the Arkansas legislature. He is […]
Commentary: Do police need a warrant to collect cell phone location information?
For a change Verizon sent me a paper bill last month. It appears innocuous but appearances are deceiving. On the last two pages is my “talk activity,” 47 entries showing the date and time of a call, duration, the other number, “origination,” and “destination.” From the entries one can deduce I spent most of the […]
Commentary: Preventing foreign NGOs from speaking about abortion bad policy
On Jan. 23, President Donald Trump reinstated the “Mexico City Policy” and threatened he might expand the policy. What, you ask, is a policy named after a place the president has been knocking for months? It is an on-again, off-again foreign policy of the government denying aid to foreign non-governmental organizations that “perform or actively […]
Commentary: Sanctuary city order undone by Trump’s words
The words of the president continue to haunt him in court. Last week a circuit court of appeals wondered whether enacting a “Muslim ban,” a campaign promise, was the real purpose behind his second executive order on immigration. A Virginia district court had found the order to be so tainted and struck it down as […]
Commentary: Reproductive health care may take a hit in some states
On April 13 President Trump approved a Congressional resolution, H.J. Res 43, that voided a regulation on Title X funding promulgated by the Obama administration in December. Before he did so, the ACLU warned that “reproductive health care for millions of low-income women is one Trump signature away from being threatened.” Will millions lose reproductive […]
Commentary: Feds ‘incidentally’ gather millions of Americans’ communications a year
The word “incidental” has been in the news lately, as in the federal government may have incidentally collected the communications of Donald Trump and his aides after his nomination. We do not know for sure if the collection occurred, yet there is a good chance it did. How so, you may ask. You have to […]
Commentary: Eliminating funding for Planned Parenthood not a solution
Planned Parenthood provides essential medical services to women and men — more than two million every year. It serves a predominantly poor population; 75% of its patients have incomes at or below 150% of the federal poverty level. For a single person that number is $12,060. For all of the good Planned Parenthood does, Republicans […]
Commentary: Can felon disenfranchisement laws be challenged?
Last November, 6.1 million adults did not vote, not because of a lack of interest, but because they were disqualified due to a felony conviction. Some 75% of the adults were no longer under the supervision of the correction system. They had reentered society or were in the process of reentering. Yet the 75% were […]
Commentary: Trump’s rhetoric sinks immigration order
President Trump has promised to issue this week a new executive order on “Protecting the Nation from Terrorist Entry to the United States.” That is the title of the order issued last month, whose enforcement has been enjoined. As of the writing of this column, we are awaiting the new order. The persons drafting the […]
Case Digests
- Fourth Department – Negligent performance: Rosenthal v. Syracuse University, et al.
- Second Circuit – Visual Artists Rights Act: Kerson v. Vermont Law School Inc.
- NYS Advisory Committee on Judicial Ethics – Former foreclosure referee: Opinion 22-157
- NYS Advisory Committee on Judicial Ethics – College honorarium: Opinion 22-156
- Second Circuit – Reasonable accommodation: Tafolla v. Heilig
- Fourth Department – Labor Law: Primisch v. Peroxychem LLC
- NYS Advisory Committee on Judicial Ethics – Judicial candidacy: Opinion 22-155
- Fourth Department – Defamation: Lavine v. Glavin
- NYS Advisory Committee on Judicial Ethics – Law clerk: Opinion 22-154
- NYS Advisory Committee on Judicial Ethics – Review of another judge’s actions: Opinion 22-153
- NYS Advisory Committee on Judicial Ethics – Charitable contributions: Opinion 22-150
- Second Circuit – Class action settlement: Moses v. The New York Times Company
Law News
- Appeals court upholds conviction
- Federal lawsuit reinstated against jail officer over strip search, delayed release
- Hyzon to pay $25M penalty to settle alleged fraud charges by SEC
- NY appeals court reinstates lawsuit over contract to remove snow
- Fourth Department affirms $400K judgment in contract dispute
- Fourth Department affirms decision in NY property dispute
- Greenlight Networks selects Buffalo-based attorney as general counsel
- Barclay Damon hires attorney Matt Smith
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